Sponge mop having spring operator



y 1953 N. B. GREENLEAF 2,834,974

SPONGE MOP HAVING SPRING OPERATOR Filed Oct. 15, 1954 v E NT 0 RNATHANIEL B. GREENLEAF' United States P e SPONGE MOP HAVING SPRINGOPERATOR Nathaniel B. Greenleaf, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, assignor toSponge Products Corporation Chicago, Ill.

Application October 15, i1954,-Serial No. 462,493

8 Claims. (Cl. 15119) This invention relates to improvements in mQPS,and more particularly to improvements in sponge mops of' the typewherein a sponge element is carried on a pair of pivotal plates mountedto swing between .a substantially aligned mopping position and aparallel closed or wringing position, wherein the sponge element isfolded on itself and compressed to force out the water therein.

In sponge mops of this type there is a tendency under mopping for thesponge carrying plates to swing towards the closed or wringing positionwhich is annoying to the user and prevents optimum use of the sponge byrestricting the sponge area on the floor.

In addition, with mops of this type the operator may not be aware whenthe sponge carrying plates are at their fully open or fully closedposition and the plate operating mechanism may be damaged, forinstance,by attempting to exert abnormal pressures in the wringing action.

It is therefore the object or" this invention to overcome the aboveobjections. In particular, it is the object-to provide a mop in whichthe sponge carrying plates are firmly and resiliently held in thealigned mopping posi tion, precluding closure under mopping action.

Again, it is an object to provide a mop wherein the sponge carryingplates swing between fixed ascertainable limits when moving'betweenwringing-and moppingpositions with the plates being actuated as theyapproach the wringing and mopping positions to snap into positionsignalling to the operator that the respective position has beenreached.

A further object is to provide a mop as aforesaid of simple and sturdyconstruction.

The principal feature of the inventionresides in operating the pivotedor hinged sponge plates by means of an operating mechanism connected tothe plates by links disposed in angular relation to the plates, thelinks moving relative to the plates to define a minimum angle with theplates at a position intermediately between the mopping and wringingpositions, and providing spring devices acting to increase the angledefined between the links and plates. With this arrangement the springdevices serve the dual function of snapping the plates when they aremoved beyond an over centre position to either the .final wringing orthe fully extended positions, thereby both assisting in the wringing andresiliently maintainingthe plates extended.

Another feature resides in providing =a=simple arrangement of stops topositively define the limit positions to which the sponge plates aresnapped by the spring devices.

Referring to the drawings- Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a mopconstructed in accordance with the invention with one side of the mopbeing broken away.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the lower portion of the mopwith portions in section showing the sponge plates swung to the wringingposition.

Figure 3 is a plan section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary part front elevahand grip s15.

1 Ice 2,834,974

Patented May 20, 19,58

As illustrated in Figure 5, the sockets 2 carry end flanges 5' throughwhich extends a pivot pin 6, which also passes through the flanges 4 ofthe plate 3 at each side of the socket to form the pivotal connectionbetween the handle structure and sponge plates.

The 'fianges 4 of the sponge plates enter notches 7 in the socket asalso illustrated in Figure 5, and the down ward projections 8 carried bythe socket at each side thereof engage the plates 3 to limit theirpivotal movement in an upward direction to the position shown in Figures5 and 4 particularly. The sponge plates 3 are thus supported from thelower end of the handle structure to swing between a generally alignedmopping position as illustrated in Figure l and a substantially parallelwringing position as illustrated in Figure 2 in which a sponge element 9secured to the sponge plates by wing nuts 10 is folded on itself andcompressed together to force out the water therefrom.

The means for swinging the sponge plates 3 comprises a slide mechanismgenerally designated at 11, formed by a lower slide member 12 connectedby bars 13 and collar 14- to an upper slide member in the form of atubular The lower slide member 12 carries downwardly extending andoutwardly diverging arms or bars '16 which constitute with the lowerslide member a yoke device. Pivotally connected to the ends of the armsor bars 16 are links 17 which in turn are pivotally con nected by pins18 with the sponge plates 3.

Each of the links 17 comprises a relatively heavy gauge sheet metalmaterialfolded to provide an upper channel 19 and a pair of outwardlydiverging legs 20 depending from the channel as shown particularly inFigure 5 and also in Figure 1. The lower ends of the arms or bars 16 ofthe yoke device are received and pivotally secured in the channels 19while the pins 18 extend through the legs 20 and flanges 4 of the spongeplates 3.

Associated with each sponge plate 3 and link 17 connected thereto is aspring element shown in Figuresl to 4'as a strip of spring metal 21which has one end provided with an upturned flange 22 hearing on theupper surface of the-sponge plate, an intermediate portion 23 passingaround the pin 18 forming the connection between the sponge plate andlink, and the other end formed with a tip 24 engaging the channel 19with the tip entered between the walls of the channel to locate thespring. With this arrangement the spring acts on the sponge plate andlink in a direction to increase the angle a formed therebetween.

As illustrated particularly in Figure 4 when the sponge plate 3 is swungfrom the outwardly extended mopping position shown in solid lines to thefull wringing position shown in dotted lines, the angle formed betweenthe sponge plate 3 and the link 17 first decreases to a minimum at anintermediate position asillustrated in Figure 4 in the intermediatedotted line position, and subsequently increases.

Because of this change in the angle a as the sponge plate 3 progressesthrough its movements the spring is first compressed to increase thebend of its intermediate portion 23 thereby increasingthe tension in thespring until the intermediate dotted line position is reached.Thereafter the bend of the intermediate spring portion 23 is allowed todecrease and the spring assists in the swinging of the sponge plate tothe full wringing position. Thus, in effect, an over centre springaction is achieved in which the spring acts on the sponge plate 3 andlink 17 to snap the sponge plate to the fully extended mopping positionor full wringing position depending on which side of the over centre orintermediate position which occurs when the pivots 6 and the pinsconnecting the arms 16 and links 17 are in horizontal alignment shown bythe intermediate dotted lines of Figure 4.

The legs 20 of the links 17 are formed with pointed toes 25 which whenthe plates 3 reach the full wringing position shown in dotted line inFigure 4 and shown in Figure 2 firmly seat on the plates forming apositive limit for further relative movement of the sponge plates andlinks thereby forming a positive limit in the closing or wringingmovement of the sponge plates. The projections 8 form the positivelimits for the opening movement for the sponge plates 3, and the platesare snapped between these limit positions by the springs 21 as theplates are operated by the slide mechanism 11.

In Figure 5 a modified form of spring is shown as at 26 comprising acoil spring coiled on the pin 18 and having one leg 27 hearing on thesponge plate 3 and another leg 28 bearing against the channel portion 19of the link 17. The set of the spring 26 is such as to act to increasethe angle a defined between the link 17 and sponge plate 3 as abovedescribed.

It will be understood that various changes in the details ofconstruction may be made without departing from the scope of theinvention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a mop having a pair of oppositely disposed sponge carrying platespivotally supported at the lower end of a handle structure to swingbetween a substantially aligned mopping position and a substantiallyparallel wringing position, means for actuating each of said platescomprising a link pivotally connected to and forming an angle with eachplate, and means operating on said link, each link in moving its platefrom mopping to wringing position moving first to decrease the containedangle formed between the inner end of each plate and link andsubsequently to increase the said contained angle, and means conformingto the changing angle between and biasing each link and plate as somemove from mopping to wringing position to increase the said containedangle therebetween, whereby said last-mentioned means acts to bias eachplate in mopping and full wringing positions. V

2. In a mop having a pair of oppositely disposed sponge carrying platespivotally supported at the lower end of a handle structure to swingbetween a substantially aligned mopping position and a substantiallyparallel wringing position, and means to swing said plates comprising alink pivotally connected to each of said plates and to a'member slidablelongitudinally of the handle, each link defining with the inner end ofeach plate a contained angle which first decreases as the plate swingsfrom its mopping position towards its wringing position and subsequentlyincreasing as the plate nears its wringing position and spring meansconforming to the changing angle between each link and plate and urgingeach link and plate in a direction to increase the contained angletherebetween.

3. In a mop having a pair of oppositely disposed sponge carrying platespivotally connected at their adjacent ends to the lower end of a handlestructure to swing between a substantially aligned mopping position anda substantially parallel wringing position, means for actuating each ofsaid plates comprising a pair of links pivotally connected to saidplates at points displaced outwardly of their adjacent ends and a yokeslidable longitudinally of said handle and pivotally connected to saidlinks, each of said links in actuating its respective plate from moppingto wringing positions under sliding of said yoke forming a containedangle with the inner end of its plate which first decreases andsubsequently increases, and a spring member engaging each of said linksand its respective plate and conforming to the changing angletherebetween and acting to increase the contained angle formedtherebetween.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 in which each of said links comprisesa single strip bent intermediately of its length to form a pair ofspaced apart legs pivotally con- L. nectcd to its respective plate withsaid legs converging at their ends remote from the plate connection to achannel, and said yoke comprises a slide carrying a pair of downwardlyextending and outwardly diverging arms the lower ends of which arepivotally connected within the channels presented by said links.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4 in which the ends of said spaced apartlegs at said plates are formed with angled toes to contact said platesupon said plates swinging to said wringing position to limit relativeswinging of said links and plates to a predetermined maximum angletherebetween at the wringing position.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5 in which said plates and handlestructure are formed with cooperating stop surfaces to limit relativeswing of said plates and links to a predetermined maximum angletherebetween at the mopping position.

7. A device as claimed in claim 3 in which each of said links comprisesa single strip bent intermediately of its length to form a pair ofspaced apart legs pivotally connected by a pin extending through saidlegs and flanges formed on its respective plate with said legsconverging at their ends remote from the plate connection to a channel,and said yoke comprises a slide carrying a pair of downwardly extendingand outwardly diverging arms the lower ends of which are pivotallyconnected within the channels presented by said links, and said springmembers comprise a bent strip of spring material having one endinterengaging the channel of each link, the other end bearing on therespective plate to which the link is pivoted, and an intermediateportion of said strip being bent around and located by said pin.

8. A device as claimed in claim 3 in which each of said links comprisesa single strip bent intermediately of its length to form a pair ofspaced apart legs pivotally connected by a pin extending through saidlegs and flanges formed on its respective plate with said legsconverging at their ends remote from the plate connection to a channel,and said yoke comprises a slide carrying a pair of downwardly extendingand outwardly diverging arms the lower ends of which are pivotallyconnected within the channels presented by said links, and said springmembers comprise coiled springs coiled on said pins and each having oneend bearing on the respective plate to which the link is pivoted and theother end engaging in the channel of its respective link.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS603,999 Ballam May 10, 1898 2,706,303 Ours Apr. 9, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS76,184 Norway Jan. 30, 1950 216,565; 1 Germany Nov. 24, 1909 617,197Germany Aug. 14, 1935

